VW's Passat for the US

By Sam Hardy

10th January 2011

It's a Passat – but not as we know it! This is the German firm's new range-topping family car, which made its debut at the Detroit Motor Show and has been designed specifically for the US market.

Manufactured at VW's new facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, it is seen as a key part of a plan to dramatically boost the company's sales in America.

Measuring 4.87m, the US Passat is around 10cm longer than its European counterpart, along with being slightly wider. Under the skin, it gets a multi-link rear suspension layout – which is similar to the European car and unlike the US Jetta, which uses a simpler arrangement – while all the body panels are new and the interior gets different materials and switches.

Buyers will get the choice of three engines: a 168bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol, a 276bhp 3.6-litre six-cylinder unit and a 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel. None of VW's European small capacity TSI engines will be offered.

Relative to the UK model, the US Passat will certainly be more affordable, though, thanks to the economic advantages of its manufacture within the US. The firm estimates the new Passat will start at around ,000 (just under £13,000).

Around 150,000 Passats can be produced at the new Chattanooga plant every year – but that's just the tip of the iceberg. VW's US boss, Jonathan Browning wants to further expand the line-up with a large SUV to sit between the Tiguan and the range-topping Touareg. This model will offer a cheaper alternative to the Touareg but with the option of seven seats. It may even reach Europe.

Along with the Passat, it's crucial to VW's plan to reach an ambitious sales target of 800,000 models in 2018, up from 256,830 sales last year.

As for smaller models, Browning said that “the Polo is clearly a possibility for the future” following in the footsteps of the Ford Fiesta. However, the UP! city car will not come to the US at all and Browning is not interested in competing with established pick-up trucks from Ford and Chevrolet with the Amarok.

However, VW needs to work on more than just its product portfolio. While it holds a strong reputation for well-made cars in Europe, with solid dealer care, quite the opposite is true in the US. VW Group performances in the US JD Power customer service and satisfaction surveys have been very poor in recent years.

"Quality is a central focus for us," said Browning. "We expect to improve significantly. There is an intense focus on resolution of US market specific quality issues. Volkswagen’s Quality and Service departments have been re-organised to improve quality focus and have even employed Frank Tuch, ex-head of quality at Porsche,” he added.